Reducing carbon emissions and becoming a ‘greener’ business is high on the agenda of many UK companies. From small and medium enterprises to large corporations, being more environmentally friendly has proven to benefit your brand, as well as improving the health of your workforce. Encouraging cycling to work is a quick win, but not always that easy to implement.

If you’re determined to get people out of the car and onto their bikes, here are some tips to make it work for you.

Lead by example

If you’re serious about cycling to work, why aren’t you doing it yourself? Turn up at work on time and with a smile on your face to demonstrate just how easy it can be to do the right thing. This should be simple for you, as cyclists have predictable journey times, unlike care users who frequently encounter unexpected traffic jams, making them late and flustered on arrival.

Also, if you can bear it, ditch the lycra. Yes, it’s comfortable on the bike, but most people don’t want to feel like they’re participating in a sport. Show them how, even in a business suit, you can elegantly and steadily enjoy cheap, health transport without turning it into the Tour de France.

Make it financially attractive

There are a number of cycling to work incentives out there which will help encourage your workers. For example:

Cycle to work Scheme: Workers can purchase up to £1,000 of cycling equipment and accessories through their employer. They then pay a salary sacrifice to ‘hire’ the bike for 12 months. At the end of the period, they have the option to buy the bike outright for between 25 – 40 per cent of the original price.

Mileage for business journeys: If you are using your bike for business related journeys during the day (not for getting to and from work though) then you can claim mileage expenses of 20p per mile travelled. Seeing as you’re only using pedal power, that’s free money!

Tax breaks: If your employer does not pay your mileage as above (which they should, but not all do) then you can claim a tax break for the miles you do on your bike. Do this by contacting HMRC.

Other incentives come and go; for instance, a few years ago there used to be tax free ‘cycling breakfasts’ for people arriving by bike to encourage cycling. It’s worth keep your ear to the ground in case more incentives pop up later on.

Offer training

Many adults may not have been on a bike for some time, so it can be nerve racking thinking about getting out in rush hour traffic on one. Offering training can help boost people’s confidence and get them ready to ride safely. Bikeability offers national standard cycle training which costs around £30 per hour, or in some locations is free of charge as they are often local authority sponsored.

Provide individual lockers

If you want your workers to seriously consider cycling to work, make it easy for them to make the right choice. Nobody wants to spend the day working in sweaty, damp clothes, so provide somewhere for people to get changed and individual lockers to help them secure their stuff. They’ll need somewhere to lock up their bikes too, not to mention storing their helmet and any other equipment they use.

Lockers are a worthwhile investment, even for those who choose not to cycle to work, so check out our range and give your employees their own storage space.